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Genocide Commemorations Begin in Rwanda, With Curtailed French Role Genocide Commemorations Begin in Rwanda, With Curtailed French Role
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — Rwanda began ceremonies on Monday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the country’s 1994 genocide, but with scaled-back participation from the French government, which was stung by critical remarks by Rwanda’s president that laid some of the blame for the massacres at the door of France.PARIS — Rwanda began ceremonies on Monday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the country’s 1994 genocide, but with scaled-back participation from the French government, which was stung by critical remarks by Rwanda’s president that laid some of the blame for the massacres at the door of France.
Christiane Taubira, France’s justice minister, had been expected to attend the ceremonies on Monday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital. But in a statement on Sunday, the French Foreign Ministry announced that “under these conditions,” she would not take part. Christiane Taubira, France’s justice minister, had been expected to attend the ceremonies on Monday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital. But in a statement on Sunday, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that “under these conditions,” she would not take part.
The statement was issued after comments by the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, in an interview that was published Monday in Jeune Afrique, a French-language magazine, became public. According to Radio France International, Mr. Kagame told the magazine that both France and Belgium (Rwanda had been a Belgian colony) had a direct role in the “political preparation for the genocide.” He went on to accuse France of being involved in the slaughter of Rwandans who tried to escape through an area controlled by the French. The statement was issued after comments by the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, in an interview that was published Monday in Jeune Afrique, a French-language magazine, became public. According to Radio France International, Mr. Kagame told the magazine that both France and Belgium, the former colonial power in Rwanda, had a direct role in the “political preparation for the genocide.” He went on to accuse France of being involved in the slaughter of Rwandans who tried to escape through an area controlled by the French.
On Monday morning in Kigali, Mr. Kagame and Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, together lit a flame at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center in memory of those killed, The Associated Press reported. In an apparent response to the French announcement, the French ambassador to Rwanda, Michel Flesch, said Monday in Kigali that he was told he would not be accredited to attend the ceremonies, The Associated Press reported.
“We regret this decision,” a spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters at a briefing on Monday. The spokesman added that French embassies would participate in the commemorations “organized across the world to honor the memory of the victims of the genocide.”
The ceremonies began Monday morning in Kigali with Mr. Kagame and Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, lighting a flame at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center in memory of those killed.
Ceremonies were to continue at Kigali’s main sports stadium, where thousands were expected to participate in an evening candlelight ceremony.Ceremonies were to continue at Kigali’s main sports stadium, where thousands were expected to participate in an evening candlelight ceremony.
The rising tensions come at a charged moment for the two countries. Rwanda is working to maintain economic growth as well as its reputation as a beacon of stability in central and East Africa, while France is in the middle of an effort to stem the violence in the Central African Republic, which many fear could escalate into the sort of widespread carnage that unfolded in Rwanda.The rising tensions come at a charged moment for the two countries. Rwanda is working to maintain economic growth as well as its reputation as a beacon of stability in central and East Africa, while France is in the middle of an effort to stem the violence in the Central African Republic, which many fear could escalate into the sort of widespread carnage that unfolded in Rwanda.
“It’s a long and complicated relationship between the two countries,” said Carina Tertsakian, a senior researcher on Rwanda and Burundi for Human Rights Watch in London. “The whole of the international community bears a responsibility for not stopping genocide in 1994, but France’s responsibility went beyond that because it had supported the previous government that perpetuated the genocide and had trained their soldiers,” she said.“It’s a long and complicated relationship between the two countries,” said Carina Tertsakian, a senior researcher on Rwanda and Burundi for Human Rights Watch in London. “The whole of the international community bears a responsibility for not stopping genocide in 1994, but France’s responsibility went beyond that because it had supported the previous government that perpetuated the genocide and had trained their soldiers,” she said.
The Rwandan government has repeatedly criticized France’s role in the country and in 2006 it broke off diplomatic relations after a French judge accused several members of the Rwandan government, including Mr. Kagame, of plotting the death of President Juvenal Habyarimana in a plane crash. The death of Mr. Habyarimana, whose government France had supported, touched off the massacres. Diplomatic relations resumed in 2009. The Rwandan government has repeatedly criticized France’s role in the country and in 2006 it broke off diplomatic relations after a French judge accused several members of the Rwandan government, including Mr. Kagame, of plotting to kill President Juvenal Habyarimana in a plane crash. The death of Mr. Habyarimana, whose government France had supported, touched off the massacres. Diplomatic relations resumed in 2009.
The timing of Mr. Kagame’s accusations seemed somewhat surprising because last month, for the first time, a French court convicted a Rwandan man for his role in the genocide. The man, a former intelligence officer, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.The timing of Mr. Kagame’s accusations seemed somewhat surprising because last month, for the first time, a French court convicted a Rwandan man for his role in the genocide. The man, a former intelligence officer, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
“It took them 20 years to do it but better late than never,” Ms. Tertsakian said. “We hope it won’t be a one-off and that there will be others.”“It took them 20 years to do it but better late than never,” Ms. Tertsakian said. “We hope it won’t be a one-off and that there will be others.”
While there has been some admission by France, in a parliamentary report, of its involvement in arming and equipping the government from 1990-94, when it was dominated by the Hutu ethnic group, there has never been an open discussion on the matter between the two countries. An estimated 800,000 members of the Tutsi ethnic group, as well as Hutus suspected of being sympathetic to them, were killed from April to July 1994. While there has been some admission by France, in a parliamentary report, of its involvement in arming and equipping the government from 1990 to 94, when it was dominated by the Hutu ethnic group, there has never been an open discussion on the matter between the two countries. An estimated 800,000 members of the Tutsi ethnic group, as well as Hutus suspected of being sympathetic to them, were killed from April to July 1994.
A spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry, Romain Nadal, said that his government was surprised by the statements by Mr. Kagame and that they were in contradiction with the diplomatic entente between the two countries. He denied, however, that France was boycotting the ceremonies in Kigali and told Agence France-Presse that France’s ambassador to Rwanda would attend. A spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romain Nadal, said that his government was surprised by the statements by Mr. Kagame and that they were in contradiction with the diplomatic entente between the two countries.
For the French, the contretemps comes as human rights observers are once again questioning their commitment to protecting civilians in an impoverished, landlocked African country. This time it is the Central African Republic, a former French colony. For the French, the disagreement comes as human rights observers are once again questioning their commitment to protecting civilians in an impoverished, landlocked African country — this time the Central African Republic, a former French colony.
A sectarian war there has forced almost the entire Muslim population to flee Christian and animist militias. The French sent troops to the country in November because they feared that the growing violence could lead to genocide.A sectarian war there has forced almost the entire Muslim population to flee Christian and animist militias. The French sent troops to the country in November because they feared that the growing violence could lead to genocide.
“It’s pretty unprecedented to have an entire population flee,” said Peter Bouckaert, the emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, who has tracked the fighting in the Central African Republic.“It’s pretty unprecedented to have an entire population flee,” said Peter Bouckaert, the emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, who has tracked the fighting in the Central African Republic.
“France has a very difficult time acknowledging how bad the situation is and they continue to say ‘It’s going according to plan ” Mr. Bouckaert said. “Their refusal to evacuate the remaining Muslim population, who is starving and under constant attack, is just unacceptable.”“France has a very difficult time acknowledging how bad the situation is and they continue to say ‘It’s going according to plan ” Mr. Bouckaert said. “Their refusal to evacuate the remaining Muslim population, who is starving and under constant attack, is just unacceptable.”
Mr. Bouckaert added that it was “a hard decision to make, but under the circumstances, with the shadow of Rwanda and Srebrenica hanging over this, sometimes you do have to evacuate people.”Mr. Bouckaert added that it was “a hard decision to make, but under the circumstances, with the shadow of Rwanda and Srebrenica hanging over this, sometimes you do have to evacuate people.”
The French Army, shadowed by a sense of failure in Rwanda, has struggled to plot a better course in the Central African Republic, according to articles in the French news media, but remains unsure of its role amid the chaos of competing militias. The French Army, shadowed by a sense of failure in Rwanda, has struggled to plot a better course in the Central African Republic, according to articles in the French news media, but remains unsure of its role in the chaos of competing militias.
Jacques Hogard, a French former military official in Rwanda, was quoted in the French newspaper Le Monde as saying: “For lack of a clear political line, we continue to make military interventions in Africa, which puts people in unbelievable situations.”Jacques Hogard, a French former military official in Rwanda, was quoted in the French newspaper Le Monde as saying: “For lack of a clear political line, we continue to make military interventions in Africa, which puts people in unbelievable situations.”
Mr. Kagame came to office in 2000 and has been lionized by Western leaders, including former President Bill Clinton, for helping to remake his damaged country and for building its economy and educational system. Mr. Kagame came to office in 2000 and has been commended by Western leaders, including former President Bill Clinton, for helping to remake his damaged country and for building its economy and educational system.
For his government, the charge that the French shared some responsibility for the slaughter is something of a recurrent theme that often comes up around the time of the anniversary, as a way of reminding the French and other countries in the West of their responsibility for the genocide. For his government, the charge that the French shared some responsibility for the slaughter is something of a recurring theme that often comes up around the time of the anniversary, as a way of reminding the French and other countries in the West of their responsibility for the genocide.
Recently, Mr. Kagame’s government has been accused of supporting violent rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of being involved in the deaths of former Rwandan officials who had turned against him and gone into exile. Britain withheld $38 million in foreign aid to Rwanda because of its support of the Congolese rebels. Recently, Mr. Kagame’s government has been accused of supporting violent rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of being involved in the deaths of former Rwandan officials who turned against him and went into exile. Britain withheld $38 million in foreign aid to Rwanda because of its support of the Congolese rebels.
The dulling of Mr. Kagame’s luster has made some analysts wonder if his criticisms of Western countries are a way of distracting his domestic audience from his regime’s more questionable behavior. The dulling of Mr. Kagame’s luster has made some analysts wonder if his criticisms of Western countries are a way of distracting his domestic audience from his government’s more questionable behavior.